Offenderwatch Mailing Instructions

OffenderWatch® Mailing Instructions:

Police Departments and Sheriff’s Offices

(Louisiana)

As part of your OffenderWatch® software package, the citizens of your parish already have access to our free email notification service. This community notification service is a great public relations tool and can be accessible to your constituents through your local Sheriff or Police Department web site.

Another great resource available through OffenderWatch® is the option of residential mailings. Residential mailings, or Sex Offender Notification Cards, are required by Louisiana State Law. Watch Systems would be happy to handle all of your residential mailing needs promptly and professionally. We can have your residential mailing notification cards printed and sent out within three business days of receiving your request. There is a nominal fee involved for Watch Systems to handle your residential mailing needs, usually the current cost of a first class stamp. In Louisiana, this cost is covered by the offender. The price includes printing, paper, address list, and postage. 2

Special Recipients

Before we can process your first mailing request we will need a list of special recipients from you. Special recipients are the schools, daycares, nurseries, churches, or any establishment you wish to notify of the sex offenders in your county. Your list can be sent in an excel spreadsheet to Watch Systems via email. We will populate your database with all the special recipients in your county. Please include the following columns in the spreadsheet: Name (of organization), address, city, state, zip, phone, email.

Placing an Order

To generate an order for residential mailing cards to be sent to all addresses within a specified distance of an offender’s address, simply right click on the offender record from the offender list, and select “Mailing Estimate Request”, then “Residence or Employment Address”, as shown below.

A window similar to the one shown below will appear. 3

Mailing Radius

If necessary, verify and change the Mailing Radius. Distance can be specified in either feet or miles. Verify that the Address displayed is the desired offender address. Other addresses on file for the selected offender can be chosen by clicking the down arrow on the right side of the “Street” field. When complete, click “Estimate”.

Using the Postal address database, OffenderWatch® will calculate the number of addresses within the specified radial and will provide an address count and cost estimate. Once a mailing estimate has been generated, simply click “Print Request”. You will then see a sample of what the mailing card will look like, similar to the one shown below. Please make sure all the data on the sample is correct. Then print the request and follow the “ordering and payment” instructions in the next section.

Ordering and Payment

After printing the request, please be sure to sign and date it at the bottom. Next, secure a Money Order from the offender for the amount shown in the mailing estimate. Make the money order payable to Watch Systems. Mail both the mailing request and the money order to Watch Systems, 516 E. Rutland St., Covington, LA 70433. Your mailings will then be sent out in less than 3 business days after we receive your order.

Incomplete Data 4

For an initial mailing to a specified zip code, in rare cases, the postal database may not be immediately accessible to the OffenderWatch® program. In this instance, an “Incomplete Data” message will appear like the one shown below.

Please contact Watch Systems by email ([email protected]), to secure the necessary postal address files to complete the mailing. The data necessary to process the mailing is then generally available 1 –2 business days from notification.

You will receive a sample mailing card at your office address via US mail. The offender address list is kept on file by Watch Systems for two years. If you should ever need verification of the mailing, please email Kathy Taylor at [email protected] or call (985) 871-8110, ask for any member of the customer service team. Anytime you wish you can view your email and mailing activity at: www.watchsystems.com/stats . The information on this webpage is updated weekly.

Logos and Text

An Agency logo or picture of your badge must be provided to Watch Systems for your mailing cards as shown in the examples below. Also if you choose to make the text in the mailings specific to your agency, please provide such text in a document, as shown in the personalized example below. The logo and text should be sent to Watch Systems via email.

Example of generic disclaimer text on offender notification card:

The individual named in this notification is a convicted sex offender. The Sheriff’s Office has been informed that this individual resides in your area. Under Louisiana law he/she is required to provide this information to the community. He/she is currently reporting their whereabouts to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. This information is made available for the purpose of protecting the public. Anyone who uses this information to commit a criminal act against another person is subject to criminal prosecution.

Example of Generic Card: 5

Example of specialized disclaimer text on offender notification card:

This sex offender notification is provided to you by the Mobile Police Department under the guidelines of the Alabama Community Notification Act, so that you the citizen are more fully informed on issues concerning public safety. The listed sex offender has established a residence in your area. For further information on this offender or the provisions of the Alabama Community Notification Act, please contact the MPD Sex Crimes Unit at 208-1917 or my office at 208-1704.

Example of specialized Card: